State Tourism and Culture Minister Ashok Chandra Panda has urged Union Tourism Minister Shripad Yesso Naik to include Odisha’s tourism circuit, particularly the heritage city of Bhubaneswar, the Buddhist circuit and the pilgrim city Puri in the new national plans HRIDAY and PRASAD.
Panda on Saturday said Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his General Budget for 2014-15 has announced launching of five tourist circuits with specific themes with financial provision of Rs 500 core with an objective to boost tourism.
Besides, Jaitely also announced launching of a National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) for conservation, preservation and development the heritage characters of the Sarnath-Varanasi Buddhist circuit with world-class tourist amenities and also a national mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD).
However, Panda regretted that no tourism circuit of Odisha has been included under the new schemes.
He said he has written a letter to the Union Minister on Friday requesting him to take necessary steps to include Odisha while taking up the programme of five new tourism circuits in the country.
Panda said Bhubaneswar, popularly known as temple city and being part of the Golden Triangle of Bhubaneswar-Puri-Konark, should be included in the heritage circuit under the HRIDAY.
The HRIDAY, he pointed out, would be launched in Mathura, Amritsar, Gaya, Kanchipuram, Vellankani and Ajmer with a provision of Rs 200 core through a partnership of Government, academic institutions and local communities combining affordable technologies.
Stating that Odisha has a huge Buddhist tourism potential, Panda said the State’s Buddhist circuit, known as the Diamond Triangle comprising Ratnagiri, lalitgiri and Udayagiri-langudi, is now a hotspot of tourist attraction. Since Buddhism was expanded during the 3rd Century BC and 15th Century AD and Buddhist remains in forms of Caityas, Stupas, monasteries and relic caskets are found in this area and are at par with Nalanda and Bodhagaya, the Centre should include Odisha in the Saranath-Gaya-Varanasi Buddhist circuit.
Stating that the PRASAD would take care of development and connectivity of pilgrim cities, particularly the four Dhams, Panda urged the Union Minister to include the Puri Dham in this scheme, particularly as the Nabekalebar of the lords will be held in 2015.